Shoe fastener



F. MATTIEBE SHOE FASTENER Fi'ld Dec. 11. 192s MM gw Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK MATTIEBE, OF CLEVEIUMTD, OHIO.

SHOE FASTENER.

Application led December 11, 1923.

To all 'whom 'it may concer/n.:

Be it known that F REDERIOK MATTIEBE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the way of a shoe fastener for general use` upon slices; and the main object is to provide in a simple, eficient and practicable form, a shoe fastener which will be more convenient in use than the conventional fasteners, such as eyelets and strings and the like. Another object is to provide a fastening device which will remain permanently attached to the shoe. A further object is to provide a fastening having considerable resiliency so as to adapt itself to the movements of the ankle in walking. The aforesaid advantages and others will be fully brought out and described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe having overlapping flaps, equipped with this improved fastener, a. section of the cover strip being broken away at the upper portion of the shoe, so as to show the arrangement and mounting of one of the fasteners;

I and other sections of both the cover strip and flap being cut away at the lower part of the shoe, to show the arrangement and mountingI of one of the button latchets;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of one of the button latchets with attached springs; Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of one of ,the resilient button holders, with attached button, the button being sho-wn in top or `-plan view;

Figure 4 is a side view of one of the buttons; s

Figure 5 1s an enlarged section of the flaps of a shoe equipped with this improvement.V

This improvement is adapted for use upon shoes having separable flaps and inV carrying out this invention, I provide a plurality of resilient button holders 1; and which holders may be made of flat or round spring material, or of rubber elastic material, as pre-` Serial No. 679,931.

stems G and 7 respectively, joined 'together by necks 8. The resilient holders 1 are attached to the buttons 5 at the points 10 at the ends of the upper stems 6. To the outer side of the under fiap 9, and in horizontal alignment with the points of attachment 10 of the holders 1, are fastened button latehets 11. These latchets are made up of iiexible tabs 12 having button holes 13 cut transversely therein, so that the said button holes will stand approximately perpendicular to the sole of the shoe when the latohets are secured in place on the under flap 9, and to the ends of these tabs 12 at the corners are then secured resilient locks 14, which complete the latchets. 14 may be made of round or flat spring material, or of elastic material, similar to the holders 1, and the ends of these locks are fastened at the points 15 to the under flap 9, in alignment with the holders 1, as stated. A suitable cover strip 16 may be provided and secured along the seam 17 to the top flap 8, as means for covering the fasteners and latchets described, and so as to afford a neat and nished front. By means of this fastening device, the shoe may be readily closed by merely turning the buttons 5 so as to pass the lower stems I through the button holes 13 and then releasing them; or, may be loosened by reversing this operation. It is apparent that this device affords a neat and efficient fastening that meets all the requirements of the user. While the shoe here illustrated is shown with top and under flaps, it is obvious that the device may also be used upon shoes havingl separated flaps and employing tongues to fill the intervening spaces as shown in Figure 5. It is also obvious that with suiiioiently resilient holders 1, the resilient locks 14C of the latohets 11 may be omitted, and the tabs 12 fastened directly to the flap 9.

While I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing `from the spirit of my invention, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a shoe having separable laps, fastening means therefor, the same comprising a plurality of resilient but- The resilient locks ton holders secured by their ends along one flap of the shoe;- a plurality of button latchets secured along the other flap of the shoe in alignment With the said button holders, the said latchets having button holes therein; buttons fastened to the free ends of the said button holders and adapted to lockingly engage the said button latchets; and a cover strip adapted to conceal the said fastening elements.

2.1n combination with a shoe having separable iaps, fastening means therefor, comprising a plurality of resilient button holders secured by their ends along one of the flaps buttons at the free ends of the button holders, the said buttons being each composed of tWo elongated stems joined by a neel; portion and being each secured to its respective button holder by an end of one of its stems; a plurality of button latchets secured to the opposite flap in alignment with the button holders, the said latchets having button holes adapted to lockingly engage the said buttons; and a covering for the said fastening elements as described.

3. A shoe fastening comprising a plurality of resilient button holders along one flap of the shoe; buttons at the ends of the said holders; a lnrality of resilient button latchets along tiie opposite flap, the said latchets being composed of tabs having button holes adapted t0 lockingly engage the said buttons, and resilient locks for connecting the tabs With the shoe flap; and a cover strip secured to one ofthe flaps and adapted to conceal the said elements.

4l. In a fastening means for the flaps of a shoe, thev said means embodying sets of aligned fastening elements on the opposing flaps, and one of the sets of fastening elements being provided with button holes disposed perpendicularly to the sole of the shoe; buttons at the ends of the opposing fastening elements, the said buttons being formed of two elongated stems connected by a neck portion and being secured to the fastening elements by the ends of one set of stems, the other set of stems being adapted to engage the said button holes.

FREDERICK MATTIEBE. lVitnesses JOHAN CI-ninva'r, MARTA CHARVAT. 

